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SOME HARD DATA RELATED TO HIGHWAY LOSSES IN DAMAGED PEOPLE AND PROPERTY AND CHANGES THAT MIGHT RESULT FROM THE ENERGY SHORTAGE

THE EXTENT AND DURATION OF THE ENERGY SHORTAGE IS NOT YET PREDICTABLE, ALTHOUGH THERE IS APPARENTLY NO DOUBT THAT THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT LEAST SHORT TERM SHORTAGES OF GASOLINE AND TRUCK FUELS. IN VIEW OF UNCERTAIN SHORT TERM PROSPECTS AND THE MANY ASPECTS OF THE SITUATION THAT ARE CHANGING, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE AT THIS TIME TO PREDICT WITH ANY CONFIDENCE WHAT THE SHORT TERM EFFECTS EVEN AS TO DIRECTION, WILL BE ON EACH OF THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF HIGHWAY LOSSES. IN THE LONGER TERM, EVEN ASSUMING SOME RELAXATION OF THE FUEL SHORTAGES, IT SEEMS PROBABLE THAT THE TREND TOWARD SMALLER CARS WHICH BEGAN BEFORE THE PRESENT ENERGY SHORTAGE WILL CONTINUE. DESPITE THE CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH EVIDENCE THAT IMPROVED OCCUPANT PROTECTION MEASURES BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AS CARS GET SMALLER, THE BULK OF THE PROPOSED FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS IN THIS AREA WERE POSTPONED LAST YEAR BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (STATUS REPORT, VOL. 7, NO. 22, NOVEMBER 27, 1972). WITHOUT DRAMATIC DECREASES IN VEHICLE FRAGILITY AND INCREASES IN RESTRAINT USAGE OR OTHER IMPROVED OCCUPANT PROTECTION MEASURES (ESPECIALLY INCLUDING AIRBAGS), THE TREND TOWARDS SMALLER CARS WILL RESULT IN LONG TERM INCREASES IN BOTH DAMAGED PEOPLE AND PROPERTY. /INS INST FOR HIGH SAF/